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plus-size fashion

Fashion

Ashly Graham Is Rag & Bone’s Newest Face…Does That Mean The Company’s Extending Its Sizes?

Photo Rag and Bone via People.com.

Ashley Graham‘s newest fashion campaign has left fans wondering if a beloved brand is branching out into bigger sizing

The mega model joins the likes of Paris Jackson, Alek Wek, Yuka Mannami, and Bella Hadid for Rag & Bone’s DIY Project that’s meant to emphasize authenticity and individuality in each model’s shoot by allowing them to pick the pieces they’re dying to wear.

Just one thing, though: Rag & Bone currently only offers straight sizes, with tops only going to up a Large and jeans maxing out a 32 (a size 12). It was something that brought up again and again when Graham posted some of the pictures from the campaign, with one fan asking about the sizing with, “[S]orry to ask but are you a 32” or are they making larger sizes?? Look ?.”

Another fan crossed their fingers for an upcoming collaboration, leaving the c0mment: “Omg! Where are the plus size @ragandbone jeans?!?!? Please say this is a collab and REAL LIFE @theashleygraham.”

And it looks like it just might be happening as Rag & Bone released a statement to People on Monday confirming that extended sizes will be available before the end of the year! “We can confirm that rag & bone will be introducing a selection of best-selling denim and ready to wear, in extended sizes from November. In addition, we have already started delivering a selection of denim with extended sizing through our partners at Nordstrom,” the brand told the glossy. So while there’s no additional information about how far the sizes will extend, we can at least get an early sneak peek on Nordstrom‘s racks.

This is just another door that Graham has kicked down in regards to body diversity, as she was not only the first curvy model to be featured in Sports Illustrated’s 2015 Swimsuit issue in an ad for SwimsuitsforAll, she also became the cover girl of the iconic issue the year after. Not to mention her most recent broken boundary as one of the first plus-size models to land a beauty contract with Revlon. And with her design acumen, which she’s honed with brands like SwimsuitsforAll, Nordstrom, and DressBarn, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Graham share some design ideas and help shape this next new stage for Rag & Bone.

May 1, 2018 by Val

Fashion

Will Rihanna’s New Lingerie Line Come In Plus Sizes?

Embed from Getty Images

Inclusivity has been at the core of Rihanna‘s brand since she began building her beauty empire, but will it translate to her latest line?

Signs point to yes — and I couldn’t be more psyched! After weeks of teasing the brand on Instagram, Mic was the first to discover that when you head to the brand’s official site to sign up for the brand’s newsletter, it also asks for your bra and undie sizes via a drop-down menu. The bra sizes included in the menu range from 32A to 44DD while undie sizes go up to 3X! That means that similar to her ground-breaking foundation range, she’s had more than the straight-sized set in mind from the start.

That’s an amazing start for any fashion brand, let alone an intimates line, which The Lingerie Addict‘s Cora Harrington called it “impressive” as lingerie has a more complicated production process than makeup. Harrington notes the fact the line isn’t even more size-inclusive than it already is, points to limitations in intimate apparel, regardless of the brand, rather than a lack of effort. “[M]aking bras is nothing like making foundation,” she said in a blog post about the line. “Literally the only thing connecting Fenty Beauty to Savage x Fenty is Rihanna. She’s using two different companies with two different infrastructures for products in two different categories.”

Harrington says that since Savage x Fenty is the first intimates brand from TechStyle (which also produces Fabletics‘s range, including sports bras) and the brand’s maximum cup size is a DD, they might not have the resources yet to go beyond that bra size without causing a break. Going past that size break would mean researching and revamping the bra patterns and construction to accommodate a larger bust — and that still aligns with the line’s aesthetic. This wasn’t the case with Fenty Beauty, as Rihanna had linked up with Kendo Beauty, a long-established company that also owns Kat Von D Beauty, Marc Jacobs Beauty and many more, which has the resources and distribution to produce such a huge range right out of the gate.

Aside from learning about the size range of the line, we’re starting to get a sense of what the pieces will actually look like. The Instagram teasers offer some insight, as we get a peek of Rihanna in a classic underwire bra in one of the clips while another model is seen in a sheer lacy bra or bralette with a cutout front. So I feel like her new lingerie might mix a bit of athleisure ease and comfort from Fenty x Puma with the decadent details of her Fenty for Stance sock line, which make for not only a sold-out situation but also a slew of sexy selfies (though whether you choose to share them is totally up to you — no one else).

Here’s hoping there will be DDD-G cup sizes and larger underwear sizes are already in the works for this highly-anticipated and seriously chic line (??) because we all want to look and feel as luxe and lovely as Riri herself!

April 23, 2018 by Val

Fashion

Nanette Lepore Links Up With Dia&Co. for a Plethora of Playful Plus-Size Picks

Photo via Dia.com

Nanette Lepore is applying her love of kaleidoscopic colors to the plus size set with help from Dia&Co!

The style subscription service is no stranger to collaborations, previously linking up with the likes of Rebel Wilson and Girl with Curves‘ Tanesha Awasthi. But this marks a first for the New York Fashion Week regular who’s known for blending bohemian prints with classic feminine silhouettes that appeal to fashion fans of all ages — and now up to a size 32 as well!

The 25-piece collection, which is now available to shop, consists of lacy tops, flirty skirts, breezy dresses, and chic style staples like pants and blazers in neutral hues, allowing you really let those playfully printed pieces pop! Or as Ashby Vose, Stylist at Dia&Co, told SheFinds, “The spring collection features feminine prints and pastels while staying true to the brand’s iconic aesthetic with soft ruffles, thoughtful embroidery and incredible detailing throughout the pieces.” Plus, everything’s priced under $100 each, so you can easily use spring cleaning as an excuse to snap these up!

Bear in mind that you can only get your hands on the collection by requesting the particular pieces you want when you sign up for Dia&Co’s styling boxes — you won’t find them on a sales rack anywhere else. Then once they arrive on your doorstep, you can keep the coveted collaboration pieces that you want and simply send back the rest of curated clothing for something else when you’re ready.

To celebrate the collaboration, Dia&Co. will host its very first pop-up shop this Saturday, April 14th, at 7 Cleveland Place in New York City. From 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, guests will not only have the chance to shop the Lepore pieces and the brand’s signature styling boxes but also score styling advice from fashion expert Reah Norman and Dia&Co stylists. Plus there will be hair stylists and makeup artists on hand to offer touchups to pair your new look.

If you’re not sure what to snap up first, head over to SheFinds to check out the rest of the pretty, printed pieces that will be available to add to your styling boxes starting today, April 11th, to nab them now before they disappear!

April 11, 2018 by Val

Beauty, Fashion, Makeup

Jessica Milagros Adds Her Stylish Touch to JCPenney’s New Swim Line

Photo: Courtesy of JCPenney.

When it comes to shopping for swimwear, most plus-size fashionistas have to look online to search for a style we’d like. Then we have to wait for it to arrive in order to try it on. And if it doesn’t fit, it can take weeks to exchange it for a better fit. But JCPenney is eliminating that back and forth by introducing Boutique+’s first swimwear collection online and in store! It was a standout moment for Jessica Milagros, the first plus-size Latina model to land a national campaign with JCPenney (and for Ashley Nell Tipton’s debut collection, no less) and the designer of the collection, who was excited about the chance for shoppers to get that instant gratification.

“We have a good number of brands coming out with [plus-size lines] but everything is online,” Milagros told me in the midst of the brand’s pool party celebrating the launch of the line at the Parker Hotel Thursday night where guests splashed in the indoor pool in select styles from the collection. “This is the launch of their very first swim collection that they’re available in store. And that’s a big thing because not every plus-size body is the same! We might be the same 18, size 20, but I carry it differently than other people. “

Photo: Courtesy of JCPenney.

That’s what Milagros kept in mind as she crafted the over 20-piece collection with a range of mix and match pieces for whatever style suits the shoppers’ aesthetic, bringing a balance of sexy and conservative. The results include trendy tankinis, chic one-pieces, and bold bikinis in vibrant prints and even a few pieces of what Milagros called “little black swim” — with even more fresh styles hitting stores next month!

“Not every woman has the same type of style when it comes to swim,” she explained. “I feel like I wanted the collection to kind of come to the middle of what was lacking, so it’s not a super cohesive collection — it’s very spread out to cater to every different type of woman.”

Aside from the fashion-forward look of these pieces, the model made it a priority to make every strap adjustable, every swim bottom came up high enough to cinch in waists, and every inch of power mesh used was strong enough to support without ripping or snagging. By working closely with the design team, Milagros ensured that no matter their body type, shoppers could find a silhouette that flatters their figure and make them comfortable and confident.

“I know that when a swimsuit fits well, they feel amazing and confident in themselves because it fits and not because of their size or anything. They just feel like they’re supported and ready to conquer!” Milagros said, who noted that owning your differences is what makes you special and that every body deserves to show off their style.

And the pieces are not solely meant to be worn poolside or at the beach. Milagros encouraged the plus-size set to incorporate the splashy pieces into their wardrobes, suggesting they rock their swimsuit with a button-down shirt and jeans an as easy everyday ensemble. “It’s all about accessorizing your swim with a sarong, a cute coverup, hats, jewelry — the bigger the earring, the better,” she explained. “Accessorize it with a good shoe! I think that swim can be so fun, and a lot of people don’t understand that they can make it an outfit.”

Photo: Courtesy of JCPenney.

Another amazing accessory for your swimwear, according to the mega model: highlighter. Milagros loves Fenty‘s and Becca‘s brand of shimmer and says that there’s nothing quite like the glow of a good bronzing oil to make every inch of skin you decide to show look incredible. “I like to highlight all over the body,” she said. “Highlight, to me, is meant for all over the body: on your legs, your arms.”

But no matter how your style your swim, Milagros ensures there will be much more to work with as the line moves forward. Though she admits she’s a bit indecisive on the direction, she hopes to incorporate strappier pieces as well as monokinis that create the look of a bold bikini in a rainbow of hues and prints. But one thing at the top of her agenda is more sporty swimwear, pointing out a black and white crop top bikini featuring small cutouts in the top that’s expected to part of the April arrivals as an example. “Something that keeps the girls in check, something that plus-size women can wear and play volleyball, you can go out and wear it while running on the beach,” she explained. “We are active in our swimwear too just like any other girl.”

The Boutique+ Swim collection is available right now in store and online at JCPenney with more styles hitting shelves in April!

March 9, 2018 by Val

Fashion

Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James Line Is Now Dressing Plus Sizes

Photo: Draper James for Eloquii via Bustle.com

Eloquii is well known for stocking its online shelves with chic and trendy pieces that work from desk to drinks and beyond. But now the brand’s signature city-savvy is getting a sweet Southern twist by partnering up with Reese Witherspoon’s brand, Draper James.

The screen star launched the lifestyle brand back in 2015 where it quickly found fans of its delightfully darling array of attire and home accents all across the South. In fact, according to Bustle, the brand has brandched out into brick in mortar with a flagship in Nashville and stores popping up in Dallas, Lexington, and Atlanta. But Refinery29 notes that while DJ has served sizes up to XXL (size 16) since its start, Witherspoon sought to fulfill customers’ requests for expanded sizing.

“We were determined to set out to find the right partner to better serve her, which led us to Eloquii, a brand whose fashion and fit we love,” Witherspoon shared in a press release as well as on Eloquii’s site. “It’s been such a fun and rewarding experience to work with Eloquii on this collaboration.”

The 23-piece collection hit the web on Tuesday, featuring charming takes on classic spring silhouettes, including denim, dresses, graphic tees, and even jumpsuits that would work in the boardroom or at a barbecue (depending on how you style them, of course). Not to mention a slew of accessories accented with cute phrases, like a canvas tout emblazoned with “This n’ That” and a “Totes Y’all” carryall. Plus there’s another collection from the collaboration called Hello Darlin’ that’s slated to hit shelves in April! Prices will range from $55 to $225. So while they might not be considered the most budget-friendly, there are plenty of solid investment pieces that you can rock for a few years, not just a single season.

And though many might know me as Jersey girl or a New Yorker (gotta love being part of the bridge-and-tunnel crowd!), very few know that I spent a significant part of my childhood living in Texas, and many of the pieces in the collection could easily assimilate into my aesthetic. Some of the statement pieces I’d add to cart would be the parrot embellished dress you can see on your right; the buttery yellow lace yoke shift dress that will have you looking sharp but sweet in mere seconds; the flirty and frilly red gingham skirt; the 3/4 sleeve wrap top that’s also available in gingham, allowing you to make a matching set with the skirt; and the parrot print jumpsuit that would look great at any spring or summer soiree on your schedule.

It’s another awesome move that the industry has taken in recent weeks to make fashion, regardless of your signature style, more open to all. And while there hasn’t been word that the collaboration will continue after the aforementioned April arrivals, I’ve got my fingers crossed that both brands will make it a permanent partnership.

Planning to pick up a few pieces for yourself? Let me know your favorites in the comments below!

March 6, 2018 by Val

Fashion

OMG, Chromat’s Coming to Nordstrom In Sizes Up to 3X!

A post shared by CHROMAT (@chromat) on Feb 14, 2018 at 8:03pm PST

Chromat’s been known for delivering eye-catching designs dressed on models of all sizes since it first rocked the runway at New York Fashion Week back in 2010. But the “future-forward body wear” brand is celebrating a big breakthrough: it’s coming to Nordstrom with an order that includes sizes up to 3X!

Chromat’s designer Becca McCharen-Tran shared the good news during a panel for the opening of the Fashion Institute of Technology’s latest exhibit, “The Body: Fashion and Physique,” where she sat alongside Christian Siriano and Kim Jenkins, a professor and lecturer at both Parsons and Pratt Institute, to discuss increase in inclusivity in the indutry. Slated to hit Nordstrom in March or April (just in time for Spring Break), McCharen-Tran told Refinery29 that though she’s nervous and excited about the it, she’s already ahead of the curve — yes, pun intended — to fulfill the unexpected order with help from a factory with curve sizing experience. After all, it’s been her mission to create clothes for all bodies that made Chromat’s show one of the most-watched during Fashion Week and earned her a runner-up spot for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2017, according to Fashionista. But those sizes haven’t always been readily available on store shelves. “We were so surprised,” McCharen-Tran told Refinery29. “That’s why the order with Nordstrom is so important. It’s the first time a retailer has been so supportive of our curve inclusive mission.”

So what’s kept the brand’s larger sizes off the sales rack until now? According to McCharen-Tran, it’s the fact that retailers haven’t reached out about them. The designer noted that the burgeoning brand has been wholesale focused, producing only what had been ordered from major retailer like Barneys and Revolve, who never asked for them. “No one has ever bought above a size large for us,” she said. “Barneys has never bought above a size large, so we were producing extra sizes on our own.”

The good news comes on the heels of Nordstrom recently stocking the sales floor with straight and curve offerings from Khloe Kardashian‘s Good American brand sitting side by side on the rack instead of separting them. It’s an annoyingly common practice at brick and mortar stores which often places plus-size sections in a corner or on a completely seperate floor, almost out of sight of others because heaven forbid a larger woman is seen shoping alongside her straight-sized counterparts. But McCharen-Tran has hope that small steps like these will not only lead to more visibility for diverse body types beyond the runway and less segregation on the sales rack but also to universal sizing standards. “Hopefully that’s where retail is heading, to be honest,” she said, though Siriano noted that it could depend on the types of garments and the materials used to create them. “So that everyone can know based on their measurements what size they are anywhere.”

So now’s the time to rewatch the Chromat’s Spring 2018 recent runway to start thinking about which of the chic swimsuits styles you’re planning to add to cart as soon as they arrive at Nordstrom!

February 27, 2018 by Val

Fashion

Plus Size Models Take to The Streets of London Fashion Week

Embed from Getty Images

Plus-size fashion has incresingly become part of the style spotlight in New York with the likes of Ashley Graham, Candice Huffine, Marquita Pring, Iskra Lawrence, and many more becoming a runway regulars this season. But there are still plenty of places where the plus-size set are squeezing themselves in just to be seen by the industry, like London Fashion Week.

Hayley Hasselhoff — yup, you guessed it, David Hasselhoff’s daughter — joined a crowd of fellow curvy models, diversity activists, and influencers, including Megan Jayne Crabbe, Sonny Turner, and Callie Thorpe, for a protest during London Fashion Week early Friday morning. The group, which was organized byplus-size fashion retailer Simply Be (which caters to sizes 12-32), stood outside of the LFW show area in their skivvies, holding signs calling out the UK fashion industry for its lack of size inclusivity with phrases like “LFW —Where Are the Curves?” and “Curves Shouldn’t Mean Compromise.”

It isn’t the first time that the retailer has used its platform to protest at London Fashion Week. Last year, Simply Be not only took to the streets but also kicked off the fashion festivities by hosting its own Curve Catwalk that featured a mix of models and influencers and became the U.K.’s most size diverse runway. But this time around, the brand sought to use the protest to make the industry more accessible after discovering that while the average dress size in the U.K. is a size 16, according to research it had commissioned, 89% of participants didn’t feel their size was represented on the runway or in ads.

“We want the fashion industry to change the way it represents body shapes,” Angela Spindler, chief executive N Brown Group plc, which owns Simply Be, told The Evening Standard. “This isn’t about ‘skinny shaming’ we, think that shape should be celebrated irrespective of size and it’s time that the industry became more diverse — after all, fashion is for everyone.”

Hasselhoff echoed the same statements as the group also posed in denim jackets painted with phrases like “Flaunt it, Support It” and “Your size, No compromise” at Oxford Circus. “We want to give women everywhere the confidence to be who they are,” she explained. “This is only achieved by showing a wide variety of models irrespective of size. By tearing up the ‘one size’ fits fashion rule book we hope to encourage any woman, whatever her size, to feel fabulous in their skin.”

Hopefully this continues the conversation and leads to bigger changes and more visibility for diverse body shapes, sizes, and abilities!

February 16, 2018 by Val

Fashion

Rachel Antonoff Assembles Pretty Plus Size Picks for Gwynnie Bee

via Refinery 29

Rachel Antonoff is taking her penchant for fun and fresh prints and giving them a plus-size remix with Gwynnie Bee.

Antonoff’s collaboration is really something to celebrate, as it’s the latest in a line of designers who have linked up with the plus-size clothing subscription service. Antonoff’s signature aesthetic of quirky prints inspired by the every day and flattering silhouettes for women of different sizes and shapes has become the style blueprint for shows like Girls, even recruiting Lena Dunham herself to showcase the line in a short fashion film back in 2013. To see the line open itself up to a larger market—pun not intended—is amazing to see as Antonoff herself mentioned a plus size line is already in the works, creating a more inclusive space in an industry known for being straight and narrow (in many senses).

“Fashion has so many wonderful things about it, but there’s this aspect that it feels exclusionary, can be somewhat elitist, and make you feel like you’re supposed to look different than you do, or make you want to be something that you’re not,” she explained to Refinery29. “I’ve always felt like clothes should just be part of celebrating who you are and enhancing your day, whether it’s just because you’re more comfortable or you feel good in them, and I think the plus-size market is so important and not necessarily getting the attention it deserves yet. I think it’s starting to, but it’s not all the way there. But it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

And to celebrate the partnership, plus size fashionistas will be privy to some of the brand’s greatest hits in the seven pieces collection, including the dissected frog, florals, parrots, and a fruit salad prints. They arrived on Sunday, June 19th in the form of flowy tops and frocks fit for a summer filled with road trips, fun fêtes, and all-night excursions that will create memories to last a lifetime, regardless of your dress size. “I’m a fan of Gwynnie Bee, but in general, my approach to fashion has always been that it should be fun, it should be inclusive, and your clothing should be more of an accessory for an adventure or a good time than something that’s stressful.” Well, I’m always up for an adventure!

Head over to Refinery29 to check out the rest of the pretty, printed pieces that just hit shelves on Sunday to nab them now before they disappear!

June 20, 2016 by Val

Fashion

Swooning Over Ashley Graham’s Sultry Swimwear

Courtesy of SwimsuitsforAll via People.com

Ashley Graham wants you to embrace your inner Bond (Jane Bond) on the beach this summer.

The mega model has linked up with SwimsuitsforAll to create a collection of espionage-inspired swimwear to make the straight and plus-size set feel super sexy. Though they’ve just hit the site on Monday, they’re selling out super fast. The 11-piece collection boasts a bevy of sultry silhouettes in sizes 10-24 for $79-$398 that will suit (wink wink) your style with everything from classic string bikinis, strappy monokinis, and other neoprene one-pieces that show off some serious skin. One of the standout selections includes a 007-inspired suit that Graham described as “truly like James Bond,” featuring a series of zippers for added sex appeal that doesn’t skimp on support. There is also a Swarovski-encrusted bikini (521 crystals to be exact) worthy of magazine spreads and personal style posts, though many wearing it will likely snag some of their strands in the process. I’ve already got my eye on Secret Agent suit that features a lace-up front. “I wanted [my customer] to not feel like a Bond girl but to feel like the badass Mr. Bond himself,” Graham told Refinery29. “When you put on these suits, you can take over the world… That’s what I’m doing! I put on a suit and took over the world!”

Graham herself has become a beacon of breaking down the image of the bikini body. She served as the first plus-size model to be featured in Sports Illustrated’s 2015 Swimsuit issue in an ad for SwimsuitsforAll (natch!), she upped the ante this year by becoming the cover girl of the iconic issue this year. “I proved to them that, yes, people want to see a woman my size, and men and women are really excited about it,” she explained to The Daily Beast. “I don’t know that that was the catalyst for MJ [Day, the sports glossy’s Swimsuit Issue editor] to put me in, but it definitely proved a big point.” Not to mention the fact she strutted the runway in Paris for H&M, recently snuggled up to Joe Jonas in DNCE’s music video for “Toothbrush,” and regularly puts body shamers in their place on social media.

Aside from smoldering in front of the camera, she has taken her eye for style to design smoldering styles in the form of lingerie that’s been a hit at Nordstrom as well as workwear that can go from desk to drinks with DressBarn. And this isn’t just an instance where a notable slaps their name on a product and just watch the cash roll in, she’s dedicated to ensuring her pieces are perfect before hitting shelves and portray exactly what she wants (#GirlBoss). “At the end of the day, if I’m not involved, if it’s not genuine to my style, if I’m not going to wear it, it’s not going to sell,” she told Refinery29. “Because I want to also be able to wear it, I’m creating things that haven’t been done before, or haven’t been perfected before,” which fuller-figured fashionistas are psyched about and already getting behind it.

Head over to Refinery29 to see every suit in the collection and act fast! These are sure to sell out soon, especially with Memorial Day around the corner.

May 24, 2016 by Val

Fashion

10 Pretty Plus Size Dresses Perfect for Wedding Season

If your social feed was swarming with the glint of a thousand diamond engagement rings over Valentine’s Day, you already know that all those wedding invitations are on their way. Aside from selecting the right gift for the happy couple, the next question is always, “What am I going to wear?” Fuller-figured fashionistas are faced with finding frocks that are not only elegant enough for the sweet ceremony but will help keep their cool when they’re getting down on the dance floor during the reception. With floating fabrics, pretty pastels, and shapely silhouettes, I scoured some of my favorite fashion stops to ensure you look sweet and chic for all the photos and social snapping throughout the festivities.